I’ve bought some natural powders last week and I played with some pasta dough.
The beetroot flavour is not strong but the powder gives the cooked pasta a nice earthy flavour and an interesting colour.
INGREDIENTS (serves 2 ppl)
200g 00 flour
3 tsp beetroot powder
2 whole eggs
METHOD
Place the flour onto a clean bowl, add the beetroot powder and mix until the powder is evenly spread.
Pour the flour into a clean surface, shape it into a circular mound and make a well in the centre.
Place the eggs in the well and use a fork to lightly whisk.
Use your fingertips to gradually blend a little flour into the egg mixture until forms a dough.
Firmly knead the dough by using the heel of your hand pushing down into it and then away from you. Lift the dough and fold it back on itself. Turn the dough a quarter turn and repeat. Continue kneading for 5-10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
NOTE: kneading is an important part of the pasta making process as it develops the gluten in the flour, giving the pasta a firm, tender texture.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or a damp tea towel ( this will prevent the dough from drying out) and let it rest for at least 30 minutes (2-3 hours or overnight is best).
This helps make the pasta more pliable and easier to roll.
Set up a pasta machine on a side of your workbench and adjust the machine’s rollers to the widest setting.
Unwrap the dough and cut it into 4 portions (it will make it easier to roll).
Dust your dough with a little flour and with the palm of your hand flatten it into a rectangle.
Place the dough above the rollers and roll it through. Fold in the shorter sides of the sheet to form a rectangle a roll it through. Repeat this process until smooth.
Reduce the width of the rollers by 1 and feed the dough as before. Repeat the process each time by reducing the role set by 1 each time until the sheet is 1-1.5 mm thick.
Trim the edges of the pasta sheet, cut it into your favourite shape and repeat with the rest of the dough.
NOTE: when laying out the pasta, they must not touch or overlap as the moist of the pasta will stick together. Dusting your tray and pasta with some flour might help to prevent it.
Davide
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